Speeches by Tidball.

“Today’s decision has been one of the hardest that I have had to make. In my career in disability law and policy, I chose not to focus on debates about whether disabled people should be born or whether we should die. Instead, I focused on enabling disabled people to live better, more fulfilling lives. Today, I find myse…”

“Q You have mentioned where the Bill places the UK internationally in terms of strike law. Where do you think the Bill broadly places the UK compared with other developed nations, when it comes to the level of employment rights? Professor Deakin: If we take the whole of individual employment law, for example, the Bill w…”

“Q Seven children in every classroom of 30 in my constituency of Penistone and Stocksbridge are in poverty. Can you set out more broadly the economic benefits of the Bill, many of which were set out in the TUC’s report this week? In particular, while you have mentioned some just now, can you focus on the economic benefi…”

“Q I have two questions. First, to pick up on your point about the economic inactivity of women with caring responsibilities, can you reflect on the value of the maternity leave and paternity leave protections in the Bill for women and their job retention and economic activity? As part of that, what other opportunities …”

“It may be that I do not ask a question, but for clarity, Professor Alan Bogg was my professor for labour law many years ago, and we were at one point work colleagues.”

“Q Why are the changes to statutory sick pay in the Bill so significant, and what opportunities do they bring for disabled workers and those who have long-term health conditions? Paul Nowak: Why is it so important at the moment? We have 8 million people who are reliant on statutory sick pay, which does not kick in until…”

“Q You have all spoken really comprehensively. Carly, I just want to push a bit more on what makes a happy employer. I was delighted to hear that you think the Bill will help raise that minimum floor and help employees. Again, you started to talk a bit there about how that then has an overall impact on the business. Cou…”

“I also refer to my declaration of interests. I am a member of the Community union, Unison and GMB.”

“Q Jemima, you described the Bill as a “win for women”. Why do you feel the measures in the Bill are so transformative, and how will they benefit working families, women and disabled women? Jemima Olchawski: We know that women are currently more likely to miss out on statutory sick pay because they do not earn enough to…”

“I refer again to my declaration of interests and to my membership of the Community union, Unison and the GMB.”

“9. What steps her Department is taking to help tackle car theft in rural areas.”

“An increase in car and van thefts and antisocial behaviour in Stocksbridge, Deepcar, High Green, Chapeltown and Dodworth has left my constituents feeling vulnerable and unsafe. Local people have also experienced excessive 999 response times. How is the Minister tackling the rise in vehicle thefts, working with manufact…”

“I associate myself with the comments about Lord Prescott, a true working-class hero. Constituents regularly tell me that the No. 57 bus that connects Stocksbridge to Sheffield is often delayed and does not always stop, even when bus stops are busy. Will the Secretary of State confirm that the funding she announced this…”

“The National Audit Office report on support for children and young people with SEND shares concerns highlighted in your October 2024 report on waiting times for assessments and support, which you highlighted earlier. What specific action should the Government take to address those issues?”

“To follow up a bit more on your expectations of what the Act would achieve and the delivery in practice of a child-centred approach to commissioning, what do we need to see more of that you are not seeing at the moment?”

“Earlier, you reflected on some of the important work that you are doing on the justice system, particularly the work that you are doing speaking to child victims of crime. Can you talk to us about the impact of the Victims and Prisoners Act 2024 and whether it has had the desired effect to better include the voices of …”

“One last point from me: building on what you have already said about support, what more specific support could be given to parents and families pre and post their child’s particular diagnosis?”

“In one of your earlier answers, you talked about delays in diagnosis and the crucial partnership between health and education. How confident are you that the Government understands the cross-cutting nature of SEND issues and how much engagement have you had with the Government to ensure that there is cross-departmental…”

“That is helpful. What is the most significant priority in overcoming the silos and creating a bridge between different services to do the best for SEND children?”

“Your report also highlights the frustration and impact on families’ health and wellbeing. What steps need to be taken to address those families’ feelings of distress and isolation?”